Fida boss Sepp Blatter has apologised to Australian fans — saying the Socceroos should have played in this year’s World Cup quarterfinal instead of eventual champions Italy.
Australia’s players and fans were outraged when Spanish referee Luis Medina Cantalejo awarded Italy a penalty in the fifth minute of stoppage time after Lucas Neill had brought down Fabio Grosso.
Substitute Francesco Totti converted the penalty to give 10-man Italy a dramatic 1-0 win over Australia in Kaiserslautern and a place in the World Cup quarterfinals.
Debate raged over the decision and world governing body Fifa was accused of not addressing the problem of diving and faking injuries in the world game.
In a television interview here Sunday, Blatter said referees at this year’s cup finals ”were not at their best”.
He said the antics of players was the real problem for the game.
”I think there was too much cheating on the players’ side,” Blatter said in the interview.
”I agree with them and I would like to apologise [to] our fans in Australia.
”The Socceroos should have gone into the quarterfinals in place of Italy… you go into extra time and you are 11 against 10. But that is presumptuous.”
Blatter admitted the standard of refereeing at the World Cup was not as high as he would have liked.
”I said at the referees’ committee after the World Cup, when compared to the performance of 2002, you have improved, but in my opinion not enough.”
He added: ”But from the quarterfinal to the semifinal, then you see the referees were back to being the best.”
Blackburn Rovers defender Neill, who was captain in Australia’s two recent home internationals against Paraguay and Bahrain, welcomed Blatter’s apology but said the situation was worsening.
”It’s pleasing to see Fifa is at last acknowledging and paying more attention to the issue,” he said.
Football Federation Australia officials accepted Blatter’s apology, but remained wary that it came during an interview for Australian consumption only.
”It’s well after the event,” FFA chief executive John O’Neill said Sunday.
”The position he’s stated is what all of Australian football fans felt at the time.
”It’s now four months after the tournament. It’s a nice gesture, but it doesn’t change the result.” – AFP
